Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-05-31
COMPETITIVE SOLDIERS.

VI r.iH 4
Results of the Great National Drill
Three More southern Companies
Withdraw.
Washington, May 29-The drill. is
over and the chances for the first prizes
are being calculated. The universal
verdict is that the Toledo cadets will
capture the sweepstakes OF $1,000. Ger.
tain it is that their exhibition has not
been approached ty any company in
the camp. That their rivals are afraid
of them is shown by the comments upon
their performance, 1t has been charged
b. some that the Toledo men marched
too rapidly, by others that they stepped
off entirely too slow, and then again il
has been asserted tbat their tactics
were not up to the standard of Upton.
Capt. Mao cMacken, it happens, has drill
ed under Gen. Upton himself, and with
the tactics now in force, and it is more
than likely he understands his business
fully as well as some of those who would
CRY his company down. There seems
very little doubt that the Michigan Ca
diets will carry the first prize, with the
race between the St. Johns and Peeks-
kills for second, with the st. Johns the
fayorites. A distinguished member OF
Gen Augur's staff said tonight that
he had no means of knowing the score
adopted tor the maximum by the judges
1t was his opinion that in scoring errors
the cost would be charged up in proper
tion TO the rank of the party making
them. This would make the captain q
error higher than the first lieutenant,
and SO on down the scale to the prlvates.
A company error would be more costly
error than that of the captain. AS to
time, he said the old cadence was 80 with
q 2S inch step. that the regulations re-
quired lao with o 30-lnch. etep, and that
the programme says the step must be in
the right cadence. He further said that
the Judges We're required to bring in the
score OF all competing companies, sc
that in case OF any question arising on
the part OF any company as to why they
did not rank higher they might see their
errors and profit thereby. Speaking OF
captains standing in front
OF their companies. he said
in drilling as instructors the
captains could properly stand any wv here
The associated press telegram orediting
the Minnesota men with a'glaring error
yesterday in the drill because they had
failed to dress" before kneeling, leaving
the line crooked before dring, is O mis-
take. The associated press reporte,
mentioned the matter yesterday, and i,
was later referred to Capt. Bean, who
said: " 3
That is mistake, 1t must have beer
the National rifles, who followed us, al
my company dressed quickly each time
and was perfectly straight when kneel
ing to fire, although that condition il
not equired. g8 i
The same thing was mentioned to Col
Bobleter before he left last night, and he
said:
That is a mistake. The line, wal
straight. 1t was the National rifles
who followed, whose line wac little
crooked. But that does not count az
error for the rifles, nor. che st. Pau
company had it occurred. In this evolu
tion the command is supposed to be
advancing upon an enemy, and when il
reaches q position its purpose is to ge
to the ground and fire as quickly as pos
sible. The regulation tactics do not con
template dressing of the ranks at such
time, and cannot be charged mp agains
any company. sas,,. i,
| Three more southern companies Ief
the drill grounds at dress parade thi
afternoon because they heard that tn
Washington cadets, colored, were TO b
lpermItted to take part in the parade
There is great reticence observed q
headquarters about the occurrence, Bn
there is said to be quite a hubbub abou
i the matter at headquarters tonight.
is safe to soy that the troops which lef
/ the field had no chance to win any @
4 the prizes. Three soldiers alone wer
taken from the grounds at dress psrad
to the hospital being overcome with th
i heart.
| AT the gatling gnn contest at th
| arsenal yesterday. between Battery A {
the First Ohio regiment Of artillery an
| the gatling gun squad Of the Louisvill
legion, the former won. With singl
adjustment Of the gun the OHIO batter.
| fred 400 shots at a target situated / ,O0
4 yards distant, and hit the target "
times, making forty bulls-eyes. Thi
4 work Is considered remarkably credita
| BILE. Every one Of the 400 shots fired o
| skirnish line at q 500-yard target hit !h
mark. s.3,